Innovative Practices 2014 on Accessibility

Interactive city-map for wheelchair accessibility

Wheelmap.org is an online map which indicates whether or not a location is wheelchair accessible. It works like Wikipedia – many people help to collect and update information about accessibility of places in the city.

„Wheelmap.org is an online map to find places that are accessible with a wheelchair. Anyone can mark places on the map and help to make everyday life easier”.

Raúl KRAUTHAUSEN

About the practice at a glance

Name of Innovative Practice:

Wheelmap.org

Organisation:

SOZIALHELDEN e.V.

Country
of origin

Germany

Beneficiaries targeted

Persons with mobility impairments

Approach/ model/ solution:

Online map indicating wheelchair accessibility

FACTS & FIGURES

available worldwide, translated into 23 languages

360.000 locations marked by the crowd

about 300 new entries every day

PROBLEMS TARGETED

Barriers in public places constantly prevent persons with mobility impairments from free movement and participation. A narrow doorway here, a step there – that’s all it takes. To make things worse, information on the accessibility of public places is poorly available. Hence, persons with mobility impairments are excluded from public transport, gastronomy, shopping etc.

PROJECT

Wheelmap.org is a global tool that can be used by everyone everywhere. It is available on the internet and as an app for iPhone and Android. The provided information empowers persons with mobility impairments to plan their day more efficiently, to increase their mobility and to participate more easily in society. The collected data is also a great tool to raise awareness and to set the political agenda by showing what has been achieved and what still needs to be done. Wheelmap.org thus contributes to building more inclusive environments and societies.

CURRENT SITUATION & OUTLOOK

Users who are logged-in to the map can upload photos or write comments to further describe the wheelchair accessibility of a certain place. This additional information makes it easy for persons with mobility impairments to determine whether they can access the place or not. Wheelmap.org has won numerous awards, for example: UN World Summit Award (2012), Deutscher Verzeichnismedien Preis (2012), Vodafone Smart Accessibility Award (2011), Land der Ideen, Ausgewählter Ort (2011), INCA Award (Bronze, 2010), Ashoka Fellow (2010)…

Screenshot of Berlin city map, indicating locations that have been marked, commented and categorized by Wheelmap.org users.